Realm Of The Damned is the most metal comic adaptation ever

Vampires? Check. Gore? Check. Metal bands? Check. No contest.

Realm Of The Damned, the most metal comic ever (the first issue of which we gave away free with issue 283 in June), has hit the big screen! The Realm Of The Damned movie tells the tale of a world succumbing to werewolves, mummies and other ancient ghouls, all at the behest of ancient vampire Lord Balaur, who’s voiced by none other than Cradle Of Filth’s Dani Filth. Just to add to the film’s metallic credentials, the vampire is resurrected by black metal band The Sons Of Balaur – now a real act, signed to Season Of Mist – and the film also features appearances by Huntress’s Jill Janus, former Morbid Angel frontman David Vincent, and blood. Lots and lots of blood. Naturally, this was a big part of the appeal for Jill, who plays the Vampire Queen, Athena.

“I identify with her – we both love blood!” she laughs. In fact, Jill enjoys being around it so much that in her downtime from Huntress, she’s a phlebotomist. “When you’re drawing blood,” she says, somewhat terrifyingly, “that lifeforce is so powerful. I’m like Athena – I have a clit-boner for blood!”

Jill sees the character as an extension of her stage persona – she recently played a vampire in the video for Huntress single Sorrow – and describes the process of preparing to play Athena as tapping into that same role: “You look at the character from all aspects, and delve into them as if you’re going to be playing them on stage or in a movie.”